Swimming-shoe.



Patented .July 9, |90l. T. J. A. FREEMAN.

SWIMMING SHOE.

(Application med A'pr, 2o, 1901.)

(No Model.)

NTTED STATES PATENT Fries.

THOMAS J. A. FREEMAN, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO CAROLINE M. CAMPBELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SWIMMING-SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 678,237, dated July 9, 1901.

Application filed April 20, 1901. Serial No. 56,6 73. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. A. FREE- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Swimming-Shoe, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved swimming-shoe which is simple and durable inv construction, easily applied, and arranged to aid the user in swimming or treading water and also to permit convenient walking on land.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspeoitication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view of the improvement as applied. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the improvement, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same.

The improved swimming-shoe consists, es` sentially, of a foot-plate A, adapted to be secured to the users foot, as shown and hereinafter more fully described, and said footplate is connected at its under side by hinges B B with a wing C, approximately rectangular in shape and adapted to extend in horizontal alinement with the foot-plate A and to swing into an angular position to said footplate in a downward direction, as illustrated in full and dotted lines in Fig. 3. The upward-swinging motion of the wing C is limited by a cross-bar or stop D, secured to the foot-plate A and reaching over the top sur-A face of the wing C when the latter is in a horizontal alined position with the foot-plate A. When the wing C is in this position, it may be locked in place on said stop D by a suitable catch E, pivoted on the top of the said wing.

The inner edge C' of the wing C is preferably beveled to` accommodate and receive the eyes B2of the hinges B B', as is plainly shown in Fig. 3, said hinges being arranged to limit -in his forward movement.

the downward-swinging movement of the wing C, so that the latter stands at an obtuse angle relatively to the foot-plate A when in a lowerinost position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l.

The foot-.plate A is shaped according to the users foot and is provided at its heel with a heel-cap F and near the front and instep with straps G, adapted to pass over the users foot to secure the foot-plate in position on the foot.

The rear hinge B has one of its leaves extended and bent upward at the inside of the foot-plate A, as indicated at B3 in Figs. 1 and 3, and on this bent upper portion of the hinge vB is bolted or otherwise secured a post H, earrying at its upper end a strap I, adapted to engage the ankle portion of the users foot to securely hold theswimming-shoe in position.

`By the arrangement described a very strong and durable swimming-shoe is provided which can be readily secured to the users foot by the use of the straps G and I.

When the user walks on land, the catch E is engaged with the stop D, so as to form of the wing C an extension-sole for the footeplate A. When the user reaches the water, the catch E is thrown out of engagement with the stop D, and when the user now swims and draws his foot forward toward the body then Yeach wing C swings rearward into the angular position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to offer as little resistance as possible to the water. When the user pushes his feet rearward for forward propelling purposes, then the wing C swings from its angular position into the alined position with the foot-plate A to increase the resistance of the swimming-shoe on the water and to thereby aid the swimmer It is intended to have the shoe as near as possible of the specic gravity of sea-water, so that in case of an accident to the wearer or to the shoe it would not tend to make the swimmer sink.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A swimming-shoe, comprising a footplate having a heel-cap,- a wing hinged at one side ofsaid foot-plate, a stop rigid on said foot-plate and extending over said wing, to

' limit the upward-swinging movement thereof,

straps on the foot-plate, for engaging thek users foot, a post rising from the heel portion of the foot-plate at one side thereof, an anklestrap on said post for engaging the ankle of the nsers foot, and a eateh on the Wing, for engaging said stop and locking the wing in place in horizontal alinement with said footplate, as set forth.

3. A swimming-shoe, comprising a footplate having a, heel-cap, a wing hinged at one side of said foot-plate, a stop rigid on saidy foot-plate and extending over said Wing, to limit the npwardswinging movement thereof, straps on the foot-plate, for'engaging the nsers foot, a post rising from the heel portion of the foot-plate at one sider thereof, and an ankle-strap on said post for engaging ther ankle of the users foot, said post being securedr to an npturned end of the rear hinge, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS J. A. FREEMAN.

Vitnesses:

MARY M. Aor-IEsoN, FRANK A. BYRNES. 

